Silver Star Mountain via Starway Trail Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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- Start point: Starway Trailhead
- End point: Silver Star Mountain
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Out and back
- Distance: 9.4 miles (round trip)
- Elevation gain: 3850 feet
- High point: 4,375 feet
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Seasons: May through November
- Backpackable: Yes (limited options)
- Crowded: No
- Family Friendly: No
Contents |
Hike Description
The Starway Trail #175 is perhaps the most adventurous approach to the summit of Silver Star Mountain and also offers the most solitude. It ascends a rather steep, thickly forested ridge above the rugged and deep Star Creek valley. At higher elevations, you will break out of the trees and get views of the tall waterfalls that plunge into the valley. The trail, being less traveled, is less obvious than other routes on Silver Star Mountain, but it is generally not too difficult to follow all the way up to the Bluff Mountain Trail, not far from the Silver Star summit. Nonetheless, this is a trail for experienced hikers and may require a little route finding if maintenance has been deferred.
If, for some reason, the gate on FR 4107 where it branches off from FR 41 is closed, you'll need to hike down the road to the trailhead. The Starway Trail goes up from the trailhead, first crossing Copper Creek on a very solidly constructed bridge. On the other side of the bridge, turn left (east) and start the climb on the decommissioned FR 4107 road under a hemlock, Douglas-fir, cedar, and alder canopy. About a 1/4 mile east of the bridge, the Starway Trail branches off to the right (south), practically reversing direction, and climbs steeply up the side of the ridge. (FR 4107 continues east, crossing Copper Creek a couple of times, and is an interesting side trip to some old mining claims.)
The first half of the Starway Trail is very steep but the trail is broad and very easy to follow. You'll switchback in a salal carpet and cross a scree slope below some rock sentinels. The cat road heads steeply up, making three switchbacks in dense Douglas-fir woods. Now the trail becomes even steeper under vine maple bowers and among snags remaining from the 1902 Yacolt Burn. Noble firs enter the forest mix. The trail emerges on a wide ridge crest with a bear-grass carpet and then swings to the left to make a traverse below the crest.
The trail reaches the remnants of a crudely constructed shelter and then heads up the ridge. There may be flagging marking the route. About a 1/4 mile beyond the shelter is the first opening providing views. The trail undulates through the woods on the ridge and pops out at a clearing that blooms with cow parsnip. Now you'll rise more steeply up for a traverse along scree on an open flower slope. Here, you'll get a glimpse of the tiered waterfalls in the Star Creek valley. Then the path drops steeply down into noble fir woods and a good viewpoint of the waterfalls. The trail continues to descend, switchbacking down once. You'll be swishing through bear-grass, but the tread is obvious. Reach a paintbrush-festooned saddle, and hike up into a noble fir wood. You may note a small tarn to the right. The trail winds up steeply and reaches the junction with the Bluff Mountain Trail #172.
At this trail junction, you are at 3,800 feet of elevation. You have to climb another 600 feet in the last mile and a bit, so prepare for some steep sections. Go right, and follow the Bluff Mountain Trail for 0.8 miles. You will know you've neared your final destination when the trail comes to a junction with three other trails at an old road. Turn left and walk up the rocky closed road. Two-tenths of a mile later, you'll come an old road junction. Turn left here again, and head up an even rockier road now known as the Silver Star Summit Trail (#180D). Where the road switchbacks under silver and noble firs, you'll see your best bet for a campsite (no water) to the left.
As you approach the summit, the views to the north, east and south open up wide to you with Adams, Hood, Rainier and St. Helens sitting respectfully at their benches along the horizon. On a clear day you can see Mount Jefferson due south. The trail hits the middle of a saddle. There is a dual summit of sorts. Take the left spur to the "true" summit which has the remnants of an old lookout tower. Then turn back and hike up the short 'south summit' (called Star 2 on the USGS maps) for the great photo-op of the north summit with Mount Rainier and Mount Saint Helens as background.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Yacolt Burn State Forest Recreation and Trails Map (Washington DNR)
- Washington Department of Natural Resources: The Yacolt Burn State Forest Map
- Green Trails Maps: Bridal Veil, OR #428
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument & Administrative Area
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
Regulations or Restrictions, etc.
- Pot-holed approach road: drive carefully
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Silver Star Mountain via Starway Trail Hike
- Silver Star via Starway 2021/01/18
- Silver Star's twin falls and the "Chasm" Sun Jul 20, 2008
- Starway to Falls on Star Creek - 7/6/08
- Starway Trail to Silver Star Mountain - June 29, 2008
- Starway #175 - Nov 23, 2007
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Silver Star Mountain via Starway Trail Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Off the Beaten Trail by Matt Reeder
- Afoot & Afield: Portland/Vancouver by Douglas Lorain
More Links
- Trail #175 Starway (USFS)
- Trail #172 Bluff Mountain (USFS)
- Trails #180 & #180D Silver Star & Summit (USFS)
- Starway (Washington Trails Association)
- Starway Trail #175 (Hiking Project)
- Starway, WA (EyeHike)
- Starway Trail (All Trails)
- Silver Star Mountain (Skamania) (Summit Post)
- Silver Star Mountain (Skamania County, Washington) (Wikipedia)
- Silver Star Mountain (OregonWildflowers.org)